One type of so-called strain gage includes a flexure beam with a plurality of thin film resistors deposited thereon, interconnected in a Wheatstone bridge arrangement. Forces to be measured are applied to the flexure beam which induces a corresponding strain in the bridge resistors, placing certain resistors in compression and other in tension. The degree of strain in the resistors can be determined electrically, which thereby provides a measure of the force exerted on the beam.
In use, the strain gage is subjected to continual flexing, which, in the past, has been found to result in failure or reduced performance primarily through breakdown of the insulation dielectric. That is, the bridge resistors are separated from the metal flexure beam by a dielectric film or layer to provide electrical integrity for the bridge and associated circuits. The insulation dielectric film is constructed of materials (e.g., SiO, SiO.sub.2) which are especially liable to break down physically and electrically, and such breakdown will either substantially impair operation of the gage or render it totally inoperable.